1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of preparing a botanical specimen in a short period of time which is bright and beautiful in color while keeping an original color intrinsic in the plant by utilizing granular silica gels and a microwave irradiated by a microwave oven, and a method of quickly drying and a method of preserving plant capable of easily preparing at low cost so as to preserve beautiful color of the botanical specimen that are just prepared as the botanical specimen and which are hardly discolored while keeping a beautiful color intrinsic in the plant.
Further, the invention relates to a method of quickly drying a plant which is capable of utilizing a dried plant such as tea or the like.
2. Related Art
As a method of preparing a botanical specimen or pressed flowers, there are many methods utilizing a weight, a gel indirectly, a gel directly, ceramic boards, and far-infrared radiation. Each method comprises fundamentally placing moisture-absorbent members on both the upper and lower portions of the botanical specimen or either the upper or lower portion of the botanical specimen, and drying the plant. Lately, there is a method utilizing dielectric heating by a microwave oven. A method of fabricating pressed flowers is now described hereinafter with reference to the typical method of drying flowers utilizing a gel indirectly.
The method of fabricating pressed flowers with reference to the method of drying flowers utilizing gel indirectly comprises the steps of:
(1) placing a sponge for pressed flowers on a drying sheet for pressed flowers and placing rayon paper for pressed flowers on the sponge for pressed flowers.
(2) arranging fresh flowers which are subjected to pre-treatment on the rayon paper for pressed flowers so as to be easily fabricated so that the pressed flowers do not overlap with one another;
(3) overlaying the rayon paper for pressed flowers, the sponge for pressed flowers and the drying sheet for pressed flowers in this order on the fresh flowers;
(4) allowing the fresh flowers, the sponge for pressed flowers, the rayon paper for pressed flowers which are set in the steps 1 to 3 to introduce a vinyl sheet for pressed flowers, sandwiching the vinyl sheet between two pressing bodies for pressed flowers, applying pressure to the two pressing bodies by a Velcro (registered trademark) to fasten the two pressing bodies;
(5) letting air out of the vinyl sheet and closing a chuck of the opening of the vinyl sheet;
(6) replacing the drying sheet for pressed flowers with another upon the elapse of one or two days;
(7) completing pressed flowers if the fresh flowers are dried upon the elapse of three to six days.
If the drying sheet is not frequently replaced with another, it is impossible to fabricate pressed flowers which are bright in color.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 4-49202 discloses a method of fabricating pressed flowers by irradiating a microwave.
That is, this method of fabricating pressed flowers is characterized in providing a pair of laminated boards between a ceramic board and a moisture absorbent sheet while sandwiching porous buffer agents therebetween wherein the flowering plant is tightly held at the side of the moisture absorbent sheet of each laminated board, and the flowering plant is subjected to drying treatment by dielectric heating in such a state.
The main feature of this method resides in the utilization of far-infrared rays emitted by the ceramic board which is heated by dielectric heating, wherein moisture contained in the flowering plant is uniformly heated by dielectric heating caused by a high frequency or a microwave together with far-infrared rays, thereby evaporating moisture in the flowering plant as described in page 2, right upper column, line 14 to left lower column, line 1 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 4-492020.
However, this method has a drawback that it takes time until the ceramic board is heated, and also takes time until the moisture contained in the flowering plant is heated and evaporated because the far-infrared rays are heat rays, and hence the flowering plant is liable to discolor. Particularly, if the quantity of the flowering plant increases, moisture contained in the flowering plant increases inevitably, and the porous buffering agent is a sponge intended for buffering alone and it has no moisture absorbent properties, and hence it takes time until the moisture is evaporated, thereby causing a strong tendency of discoloration of the flowing plant and resulting in dried flowers which are not prepared well.
The inventor confirmed that the method of preparing pressed flowers by the combination of ceramic boards and a microwave oven is not suited for the preparation of dried body such as a beautiful pressed flowers.
Table 1 shows the result of a comparison between the method of the invention (present method), the method utilizing ceramic boards and a microwave oven and the method utilizing pressing boards.
As evident from Table 1, since plants serving as a fresh sample can be quickly dried according to the method of the present invention, the inventor confirmed that the dried plant is bright in color, and if the dried plant is used as the specimen, it takes much time until the discoloration of the samples occurs compared with the conventional method.
As mentioned above, it takes about 1 to 6 days to prepare the botanical specimen by the method using drying sheets for pressed flowers, and it takes 7 to 10 hours by a method utilizing far-infrared rays for pressed flowers, and it takes one and a half minutes to 4 minutes by the method utilizing a combination of a microwave oven and ceramic boards.
Among moisture, oxygen and ultraviolet light which cause deterioration and the discoloration of the botanical specimen, a conventional method of preserving botanical specimen does not consider a counterplan for ultraviolet light although a counterplan for each of moisture and oxygen by intercepting the circulation of air is considered. Accordingly, if the botanical specimen is exhibited in a well-lighted room, the occurrence of the discoloration of the botanical specimen is differentiated depending on the kind of plant, for example. The discoloration of the botanical specimen occurs or starts about half a year later after the exhibition in the case of heating films, about one year later in the case of Japanese paper or films for pressed flowers, and about five years later in the case of the airtight frame.
In the case of a conventional preserving method to allow the pressed flowers to introduce in a frame, silica gels are stuck or fixed to the backside of a back board of the frame by an adhesive tape, then a doubled aluminum foil having the same size as the back board is stuck onto the silica gels. The sticking is effected in the manner that the adhesive is developed around the inner edge of the back board to a large extent not to provide a gap in the developed adhesive, then placing the aluminum foil on the adhesive, finally sticking both the back board and the aluminum foil using a straw or cloth to not allow air to remain between the back board and the aluminum foil.
Then, doubled unwoven cloths or doubled fabrics or cooking paper having the same size as the back board is overlaid on the front side of the back board, and they are stuck to each other only at the edges thereof.
The botanical specimen is placed on the back board at arbitrary desired positions which were subjected to a pre-treatment as mentioned above using a pin set. After the botanical specimen is positioned or disposed on the back board, an adhesive is pasted on the entire edge of the cooking paper on which the botanical specimen is arranged without providing a gap in the pasted extended adhesive, then a glass board is placed on the botanical specimen which is disposed on the back board.
Finally, both the back board and the glass board between which the botanical specimen is sandwiched are stuck to each other by an aluminum tape so as to surround the side surfaces thereof so that the aluminum tape is not seen from the front when both the overlaid back board and the glass board are introduced into a frame at the edges thereof.
Although there is a method for fabricating pressed flowers utilizing the combination of an aluminum foil and a vacuum pack while the front surface of the glass board is coated with an ultraviolet-cut agent, and a method utilizing an ultraviolet intercepting heating film, implements and chemical agents used in these fabricating methods are not frequently put on the market, and are expensive to acquire, and hence these methods generally have hardly spread.
If the botanical specimen is sealed hermetically while introducing silica gels into the sealed botanical specimen and is kept in a dark place, it can be fairly prevented from deteriorating or discoloring, and hence it is sufficient as far as they are kept. However, if the botanical specimen is observed while it is exhibited in a museum or the like or enjoyed while it is watched, its value as a specimen is reduced by half if it is discolored one or two years later after it is exhibited.
Among technologies for rendering the botanical specimen to be hardly discolored, there is a method using a material such as a special resin solution and a method of producing a vacuum state and keeping the botanical specimen in such a vacuum state. However, there are drawbacks generally in these methods that the material is hardly obtained or costs are frequently high.
When preparing a botanical specimen which is bright in color, it is generally said that moisture in the plant needs to be absorbed and dried as quickly as possible.
The invention relates to a method of preparing pressed flowers and a specimen retaining a beautiful color therein by drying a fresh sample in a short time, and also a method of preparing tea or herb tea retaining beautiful natural colors and scents therein.
Further, the invention relates to a method of quickly drying a fresh sample by irradiating moisture in the fresh sample with a microwave for resonating only molecules of water to heat them, evaporating the thus generated vapor as quickly as possible so that colors or scents intrinsic in original fresh sample remain.
In the case of a method of fabricating a botanical specimen such as a method utilizing drying sheets for pressed flowers, a method utilizing far-infrared rays for pressed flowers, a method utilizing ceramic boards for pressed flowers, it takes time for preparing such a botanical specimen. If the plant is buried in a container in which silica gels are contained and heated by a microwave oven, there is a possibility that the silica gels stick to the plant or the plant is twisted or discolored or moisture remains in the plant if many plants are buried in the container.
Further, implements used in these methods are sold as exclusive ones for pressed flowers, and hence they are expensive or frequently hard to obtain.
Ultraviolet-cut effect is generally subjected to a botanical specimen so as to prevent the botanical specimen from contacting with fresh air and ultraviolet rays, thereby rendering the botanical specimen bright in color as it is for a long period of time so that the discoloration of the botanical specimen is delayed.
The invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional techniques, and it is an object of the invention to provide a method of fabricating the botanical specimen simply and in a short time period of time while the original color of the plant remains as it is, and a method of preserving the botanical specimen simply for a long period of time which is just prepared and bright in color while a beautiful color of the plant remains as it is, and also a method of fabricating and preserving the botanical specimen which is optimum in spreading by reviving and recycling a material close to himself or herself or a waste material or utilizing an article which is easily available and put on the market so as to reduce a fabricating cost and used in an educating site.
The inventor found the method of quickly drying a fresh sample by covering an outer surface of a fresh sample with a moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet, surrounding the periphery of the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet by moisture absorbent granular bodies in an amount capable of absorbing all moisture contained in the fresh sample, bringing the outer surface of the fresh sample, the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet and the moisture absorbent granular bodies into intimate contact with one another and irradiating the fresh sample, the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet and the moisture absorbent granular bodies with microwaves.
The outer surfaces of the moisture absorbent granular bodies are covered with moisture absorbent porous bodies, for example, a corrugated cardboard box or the like for letting moisture absorbed by moisture absorbent granular bodies and/or moisture absorbent pulverulent bodies escape outside.
A dried sample obtained in the foregoing method can be utilized for drinking in the case of the dried sample being tea or an herb, or can be utilized as the specimen. It is possible to use an ultraviolet-cut film, means for intercepting oxygen, or a drying agent so as to prevent the dried body from being discolored.
It is very important to remove moisture contained in a fresh sample to dry the fresh sample as soon as possible in order to fabricate the botanical specimen which is bright in color in a short period of time.
To this end, it is considered that a silica gel sheet for pressed flowers and a drying sheet for pressed flowers are optimum as the moisture absorbent member. However, there are many cases of hardly obtaining such a moisture absorbent member, and it takes about one to six days to fabricate the botanical specimen merely utilizing these members.
Although there is a method utilizing a microwave oven, there is a likelihood that the plant becomes deformed or twisted.
After studying these problems comprehensively, the inventor has discovered that the fresh sample is wrapped and protected by a flexible porous sheet, and granular silica gels which are utilized as a drying agent for familiar foods serving as a moisture absorbent member are placed around the flexible porous sheet and a microwave oven is utilized.
It is considered that implements or chemical agents which are easily available and put on the market are selected and utilized so that even school children can fabricate a botanical specimen at a low cost so as to spread an ornamental botanical specimen widely.
The implements, the porous flexible sheet, moisture absorbent porous bodies and so forth used in the invention are put on the market and hence they are easily available.
It is possible to employ paper such as Japanese paper, tissue paper and paper for newsprint or cloth such as cotton as the porous flexible sheet.
Granular silica gels are typically used as moisture absorbent porous bodies. The granular silica gels which are put on the market for preserving a dried flower may be used or silica gels which are sealed for preserving foods such as confectionery may be collected. As the moisture absorbent porous bodies, there are a cork, a corrugated cardboard box, a perforated corrugated cardboard, and thick paper as the moisture absorbent porous bodies, and it is possible to introduce a drying agent in the corrugated cardboard box.
There are calcium chloride, calcium oxide (quicklime), silica gels and zeolite as the drying agent and a high polymer can be also used a the drying agent.
In addition to the foregoing goods, an ultraviolet-cut transparent film which is put on the market as office supplies, stationary or the like, ultraviolet-cut acryl resin solution for handcraft or a silicon paste or combination of these goods may be used.
A microwave oven for familiar use which is put on the market can be utilized as a microwave generating unit used in the invention. A large-sized microwave generating unit is used for fabricating dried bodies industrially in large quantity. Water in a fresh sample which is irradiated with a microwave becomes quickly hot and is changed to vapor. At this time, the thus produced vapor is absorbed instantaneously by the silica gels through the porous flexible sheet. The thus generated vapor is also instantaneously absorbed by moisture absorbent porous bodies, and it is quickly separated into a fresh sample and vapor, which is the main feature of the invention.
Accordingly, it should be avoided that moisture coming from the fresh sample is condensed and contacts the fresh sample. The thus generated vapor should be quickly absorbed so as to prevent the moisture coming from the fresh sample from condensing and contacting the fresh sample again.
Vapor which cannot be absorbed by silica gels around the porous flexible sheet can be absorbed by moisture absorbent porous bodies which are placed around the porous flexible sheet.
It is convenient to mix silica gels to which cobalt chloride is added into transparent silica gels so as to confirm as to whether moisture is absorbed by the silica gels or not. The silica gels to which cobalt chloride is added exhibits a blue color when dried but changes to pink when containing moisture so that the absorption of moisture can be determined at a glance. Paper and a cork are adapted for moisture absorbent porous bodies, and overlapped Japanese writing paper, a corrugated cardboard, a cork board and so forth, and the mixture of these materials with a drying agent are preferable as the moisture absorbent porous bodies.
The moisture absorbent porous bodies serve as a cushion when a weight is placed thereon.
When the production of vapor in a large quantity is expected, it is preferable that a corrugated cardboard is made in a box shape and silica gels or calcium chloride is introduced in the box-shaped corrugated cardboard. When handling many fresh samples, it is possible to use a corrugated cardboard box 30 having many perforations 31 and filled with drying agents 32 as shown in FIG. 3 as the moisture absorbent porous bodies.
If the moisture absorbent porous bodies do not work sufficiently, the corrugated cardboard box is filled with hot water or vapor so that the dried sample degrades in color, causing the discoloration or deterioration of color.
In conclusion, the quick drying method and the preserving method of the invention are as follows.
(1) A method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the first aspect of the invention is characterized in comprising the steps of covering an outer surface of a fresh sample with a moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet, surrounding the periphery of the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet with moisture absorbent granular bodies in an amount capable of absorbing all moisture contained in the fresh sample, bringing the outer surface of the fresh sample, the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet and the moisture absorbent granular bodies into intimate contact with one another, and irradiating the fresh sample, the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet and the moisture absorbent granular bodies with microwaves, then cooling them.
(2) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the outer surface of the fresh sample, the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet and the moisture absorbent granular bodies of the first aspect of the invention are brought into contact with each other by applying a pressure thereto.
(3) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the third aspect of the invention is characterized in that the peripheries of the moisture absorbent granular bodies of the first aspect of the invention are covered with moisture absorbent porous bodies by way of the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet.
(4) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the moisture absorbent granular bodies of the first aspect of the invention are silica gels.
(5) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the moisture absorbent porous bodies of the first aspect of the invention contain therein moisture absorbent pulverulent bodies and/or moisture absorbent granular bodies.
(6) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the sixth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the fresh sample of the first aspect of the invention is a plant.
(7) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the seventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that the plant of the first aspect of the invention is tea or an herb.
(8) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the eighth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the moisture absorbent porous flexible sheet of the first aspect of the invention is paper and the moisture absorbent porous bodies of the third aspect of the invention is a corrugated cardboard.
(9) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the ninth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the moisture absorbent porous bodies of the first aspect of the invention are formed of a corrugated cardboard box containing therein a drying agent such as a silica gel, calcium chloride and/or quicklime.
(10) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the tenth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the silica gels of the first aspect of the invention are discolored when they absorb moisture.
(11) The method of quickly drying a fresh sample of the eleventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that the discolored silica gels of the tenth aspect of the invention are recycled.
(12) A method of preserving a dried body according to the twelfth aspect of the invention obtained by the quick drying method as set forth in the first aspect of the invention is characterized in comprising the step of introducing the dried body into a bag made of an ultraviolet-cut transparent film as it is or together with at least one of a deoxidizing agent and a drying agent.
(13) The method of preserving a dried body of the thirteenth aspect of the invention is characterized in further comprising in the twelfth aspect of the invention the steps of temporary fixing the dried body onto a pasteboard, covering the entire dried body with a film, replacing a part of the film with an ultraviolet-cut transparent film, if need be, and hermetically preserving the dried body covered with the film.
(14) The method of preserving a dried body of the fourteenth aspect of the invention is characterized in the twelfth aspect of the invention, a front film is an ultraviolet transparent film.
(15) The method of preserving a dried body of the fifteenth aspect of the invention is characterized in the twelfth aspect of the invention, a back film is an adhesive film and further comprises an adhesive layer and a release layer.
(16) The method of preserving a dried body of the sixteenth aspect of the invention is characterized in the twelfth aspect of the invention, the dried body is preserved in a space in which a deoxidizing agent and/or a drying agent is contained.
(17) The method of preserving a dried body of the seventeenth aspect of the invention is characterized in the twelfth aspect of the invention, the dried body is fixed to a space which is sealed up by an ultraviolet-cut transparent resin at least on one side thereof, and a deoxidizing agent and/or a drying agent is introduced into the space.